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Our passage-based reading practice tests will help you prepare for your SAT reading comprehension questions. You will first read a short passage and then you will have a series of questions to test your reading skills. The questions are based on the content of the passages and you may also be asked about the meaning of a word as it is used in the context of the reading. These free SAT reading comprehension questions will help you prepare for your SAT.
Directions: The passages below are followed by questions about their content. Answer the questions on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passages.
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Question 1 |
Questions #1-2 are based on the following passage:
There is considerable evidence that irrigation may have played a pivotal role in the foundation of the earliest civilizations, such as that of Sumer in the Tigris-Euphrates valley. The reasons for the influence of irrigation are twofold. The development of irrigation allowed for extremely efficient agricultural production, creating the surplus of food resources that must serve as the foundation for any civilization. Furthermore, constructing the elaborate system of canals and drainage networks was a task of tremendous complexity. The centers of commerce, administration, and science that accomplished the task eventually blossomed into the cities that served as the cornerstone of Sumerian civilization.
The second sentence (“The reasons…are twofold”) refers to
a need for a food surplus and a successful economy | |
the development of commerce and administration | |
the construction of elaborate canals and drainage systems | |
the establishment of successful agriculture and the foundation of cities | |
the complexity and success of the irrigation systems |
Question 1 Explanation:
The correct answer is (D). The passage outlines the two main reasons that irrigation contributed to the foundation of civilizations: It helped to produce more food, and it created concentrations of “commerce, administration, and science” that led to cities. This matches (D). The other choices misuse details from the passage and do not answer the specific question being asked.
Question 2 |
Questions #1-2 are based on the following passage:
There is considerable evidence that irrigation may have played a pivotal role in the foundation of the earliest civilizations, such as that of Sumer in the Tigris-Euphrates valley. The reasons for the influence of irrigation are twofold. The development of irrigation allowed for extremely efficient agricultural production, creating the surplus of food resources that must serve as the foundation for any civilization. Furthermore, constructing the elaborate system of canals and drainage networks was a task of tremendous complexity. The centers of commerce, administration, and science that accomplished the task eventually blossomed into the cities that served as the cornerstone of Sumerian civilization.
As used in this passage, the word “tremendous” most nearly means
wonderful | |
enormous | |
intricate | |
important | |
moderate |
Question 2 Explanation:
The correct answer is (B). The author writes that the irrigation systems were “a task of tremendous complexity,” which required centers of “commerce, administration, and science.” The complexity must have been large or great, which matches (B). (C) is tempting, but does not fit well with the complexity in context.
Question 3 |
Questions #3-4 are based on the following passage:
The city of Havana stands today as a testament to its turbulent yet glorious history. This lively center of all things Cuban looks today as much as it did when it was built more than 100 years ago. An air of distinction and wealth, albeit now somewhat faded, lingers in its neighborhoods. Spanish architecture, a symbol of a colonial past, graces the city, though the paint and plaster of many of the buildings have chipped and peeled as the years have passed. Amidst the gentle aging of this great city, it is the generosity and friendliness of the residents that have allowed Havana to survive and flourish.
As used in this passage, the word “air” most nearly means
requirement | |
lack | |
combination | |
imitation | |
impression |
Question 3 Explanation:
The correct answer is (E). You may have heard the word “air” used in another context, such as “He has an air of confidence.” A good replacement would be a word like “sense,” which matches (E) nicely. (B) is an opposite meaning, while (A), (C), and (D) don’t relate to the meaning in the passage.
Question 4 |
Questions #3-4 are based on the following passage:
The city of Havana stands today as a testament to its turbulent yet glorious history. This lively center of all things Cuban looks today as much as it did when it was built more than 100 years ago. An air of distinction and wealth, albeit now somewhat faded, lingers in its neighborhoods. Spanish architecture, a symbol of a colonial past, graces the city, though the paint and plaster of many of the buildings have chipped and peeled as the years have passed. Amidst the gentle aging of this great city, it is the generosity and friendliness of the residents that have allowed Havana to survive and flourish.
With which of the following statements would the writer most likely agree?
Havana is a historic and diverse city. | |
The citizens of Havana are essential to the endurance of the city. | |
The citizens of Havana will never be able to rebuild the city to its past glory. | |
The look of Havana has evolved steadily throughout its history. | |
Havana is an unusually wealthy city. |
Question 4 Explanation:
The correct answer is (B). When asked to infer the writer’s views on a topic, use your understanding of the tone of the passage. Words such as “glorious,” “distinction,” and “graces” suggest that this writer sees Havana and its citizens in a positive light. (B) is the choice that matches the author’s tone. Beware of answer choices that are “half-right” such as (A). Havana may be historic, but nothing in the passage mentions its diversity.
Question 5 |
Questions #5-6 are based on the following passage:
Recently, I casually looked through a journal from my childhood. The pages were filled with ragged cartoons that seemed to have been drawn by someone else. Yet, as I flipped toward the end of the book, these awkward, almost unrecognizable creations from my past slowly began to come alive with familiarity. One page, covered in a mess of squares and stick figures depicting a billiards game, captured my attention. Suddenly I felt transported back to my grandparents’ musty basement game room, even recalling my older brother’s victorious taunts. I turned to the next page eagerly, now exhilarated by a sense of deep connection to this record of bygone years.
The author implies that initially he only “casually looked” (line 1) through the childhood journal because
he could not remember the events it described | |
he was not skilled at drawing | |
he found its content unfamiliar | |
he was not interested in his childhood | |
he was embarrassed by his cartoons |
Question 5 Explanation:
The correct answer is (C). Remember that an Inference question will be supported by the information stated in the passage. At the beginning of the passage, the author indicates he picked up the journal “casually,” although by the end it revives memories he had long ignored. Ask yourself what he is really trying to convey with that information: what does it really mean? Perhaps he had forgotten what he had put in the journal until he started to look through it. (A) and (B) distort details from the passage, while (D) is the opposite.
Question 6 |
Questions #5-6 are based on the following passage:
Recently, I casually looked through a journal from my childhood. The pages were filled with ragged cartoons that seemed to have been drawn by someone else. Yet, as I flipped toward the end of the book, these awkward, almost unrecognizable creations from my past slowly began to come alive with familiarity. One page, covered in a mess of squares and stick figures depicting a billiards game, captured my attention. Suddenly I felt transported back to my grandparents’ musty basement game room, even recalling my older brother’s victorious taunts. I turned to the next page eagerly, now exhilarated by a sense of deep connection to this record of bygone years.
The author’s purpose in mentioning his brother’s “victorious taunts” is most likely to
indicate that he had a strained relationship with his brother | |
imply that this billiards game was particularly memorable | |
criticize his brother’s behavior | |
suggest the journal recalled painful memories | |
underscore the journal’s ability to powerfully recall the past |
Question 6 Explanation:
The correct answer is (E). Read around the reference to get context for a prediction before reading the answer choices. The author found himself “transported” by the drawings of the billiards game, and even recalls his brother teasing him. He mentions the teasing to emphasize how clearly he felt like he was back in the game room even though it was all a memory. The only option that matches this prediction is (E).
Question 7 |
Questions #7-8 are based on the following passage:
What plagues both political parties in the United States today is their need to win over the voting public at any cost. Since the average American voter has only an acquaintance with the crucial issues of the day and an even narrower grasp of the ways in which policy can address them, politicians are forced to mount often-vicious attacks on their competitors to capture the interest of the electorate. Rather than elect the best candidates for the task at hand, the American voter, election after election, chooses what appears to be the lesser of multiple evils, electing, in effect, the best worst candidate for the job.
The plague on both political parties (line 1) could best be described as their
reliance on polls to determine the feelings of the voting public | |
willingness to attack their closest competitors | |
need to appeal to an ill-informed electorate | |
lack of concern for the views of most voters | |
refusal to speak to lower-income families |
Question 7 Explanation:
The correct answer is (C). Some Detail questions will ask you to paraphrase a specific item in the passage. Go back to the first sentence and read the reference for context. The passage says that the thing plaguing both parties “is their need to win over the voting public at any cost” (sentence 1). Then it describes the average voter as not very knowledgeable about politics. Put this concept into your own words to say that the plague is having to get people who don’t know much about politics to vote for them. (C) fits nicely. The other options are out of scope.
Question 8 |
Questions #7-8 are based on the following passage:
What plagues both political parties in the United States today is their need to win over the voting public at any cost. Since the average American voter has only an acquaintance with the crucial issues of the day and an even narrower grasp of the ways in which policy can address them, politicians are forced to mount often-vicious attacks on their competitors to capture the interest of the electorate. Rather than elect the best candidates for the task at hand, the American voter, election after election, chooses what appears to be the lesser of multiple evils, electing, in effect, the best worst candidate for the job.
As used in this passage, the word “acquaintance” most nearly means
polite relationship | |
superficial familiarity | |
fraught discussion | |
complex dialogue | |
nuanced exchange |
Question 8 Explanation:
The correct answer is (B). The second sentence states that “the average American voter has only an acquaintance with the crucial issues of the day.” Put that into your own words; the passage seems to be saying that most voters barely know about the issues. Don’t let tough vocabulary throw you off; (B) matches your prediction. (A) is out of scope, while the other choices are opposite from the information in the passage.
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